Cossack Lullaby
by RedHatMeg
Summary: Izuku Midoriya wants to be a hero and successfuly works towards this goal. Inko Midoriya, on the other hand, has to deal with the fact that her son's path is filled with suffering. A songfic to "Cossack Lullaby".


**After I did _Lullaby for a crump_ , I was thinknig about a similar songfic but about Inko Midoriya. I wanted to explore a little bit her character, especially after the aftermath of All Might's last fight.**

 ** _Cossack Lullaby_ is a nursery rhime from a group that founded Ukraine - Cossacks. The woman in a song who knows that her infant son will one day become a warriror. So she's worried about the future and scared that her son might die.**

 **The song really reminded me of Inko who's son wants to become a hero. So it was only natural that I chose _Cossack Lullaby_ for this piece.**

 **Please, review!**

 **Cossack Lullaby**

 _Spi mladyenets, moi prekrasný, (_ _Sleep, my beautiful good boy_ _,)_

 _bayushki bayu, (_ _Bayushki bayu)_

 _tikho smotrit myesyats yasný (_ _Quietly the moon is looking)_

 _f kolýbyel tvayu. (_ _Into your cradle.)_

He was always such a sweet child. He wanted to do good, he wanted to help, to protect others. This was just the way he was – her little boy with wide, bright eyes, curly hair and too much energy in this small body of his.

The first four years were such a bliss. Probably the most happy years of his life. Back then his dream seemed to be within his reach. Back then when he was watching this video, it was bringing smile to his face. Back then everything seemed to be possible.

 _Stanu skazývat' ya skazki, (_ _I will tell you fairy tales)_

 _pyesenki spayu, (_ _And sing you little songs,)_

Izuku loved All Might with all his little heart. He almost worshipped the man. Inko didn't blame him, All Might was one of the best people in the world, a heroic figure inspiring everyone around to be better person. And he was saving everyone around. And to be frank, seeing Izuku watching the video of All Might's debut, was always bringing smile to Inko's face. The sight of so much excitement, hope and awe in Izuku's eyes was enough to brighten her day.

 _tý-zh dremli, zakrývshi glazki, (_ _But you must slumber, with your little eyes closed)_

 _bayushki bayu. (_ _Bayushki bayu.)_

Sometimes Inko thought that maybe she should have stopped showing him this damn video, when he was still little.

 _Sim uznayesh, budit vremya, (_ _The time will come when you will learn)_

 _branoye zhityo, (_ _The soldier's way of life,)_

Of course, she was devastated when she found out he's quirkless. Every mother would cry with their child over their sorrow. Every mother would have hard time standing her child's suffering. And there was so much suffering in Izuku's life after that revelation. Not only he experienced pain of having his dream being denied from him, but he also had to deal with bullying and mockery in school.

 _smyelo vdyenish nogu f stremya (_ _Boldly you'll place your foot into the stirrup)_

 _i vazmyosh ruzhyo. (_ _And take the gun.)_

And of course, she rejoiced when it turned out he actually had a quirk; and that somebody was willing to help him get to his dream school. Inko felt ashamed that she actually gave up so easily on his son's dream and neglected it for so long.

 _Ya sedeltse boyevoye (_ _The saddle-cloth for your battle horse)_

 _sholkom razoshyu. (_ _I will sew for you from silk.)_

So she went a long way to support him right now; to help him build muscle and grow stronger. She even bought him a tracksuit he brought during practical part of entrance exam to UA. She wanted to rectify the mistake she made so long ago.

 _Spi, ditya mayo radnoye, (_ _Sleep now, my dear little child,)_

 _bayushki bayu. (_ _Bayushki bayu.)_

Maybe she should have known that hero business isn't safe. Maybe she should have predicted that her little boy will be, sooner or later, put in danger. But he was so happy to be on a right track for his dream… How could she not be happy with him?

 _Bogatýr tý budish s vidu (_ _You will look like a hero)_

 _i kazak dushoi. (_ _And be a Cossack deep in your heart.)_

 _Pravazhat' tibya ya výdu, (_ _I will accompany you and watch you go,)_

The first time when she was really scared for him was after the entrance exam. She was informed, rather off-handly, that her son broke both legs, and an arm during the exam. But she shouldn't worry! After all, Recovery Girl put him together with her quirk and now Izuku was as good as new!

 _tý makhnyosh rukoi. (_ _You will just wave your hand.)_

 _Skolko gorkikh slyoz ukradkoi (_ _How many secret bitter tears)_

 _ya f tu notsh pralyu!_ _(_ _Will I shed that night!_ _)_

Then, when he finally got to the UA, he was sometimes going back from school with bandages. Sometimes it was a whole arm or leg, sometimes a single finger. It wasn't often, but it was still happening. And when Inko was asking him about it, Izuku was always saying that it was because of his own recklessness and the fact that he had to learn how to control his quirk. But he was really careful with it! He was trying to be smart about it, to not overdo his quirk, to keep himself safe.

 _Spi, moi angel, tikho, sladko, (_ _Sleep, my angel, calmly, sweetly,)_

 _bayushki bayu. (_ _Bayushki bayu)_

And then came attack on USJ. Her Izuku was hospitalized, just like All Might, Eraserhead and Thirteen.

And then came Sport Festival. And Inko could see that her son was both innovative and reckless. She was so proud of him during the race, cavalry battle and his first battle… But when he went against this boy that could make ice and fire, he went all out and broke his hands, arms and fingers, sometimes even repeatedly.

 _Stanu ya toskoi tomit'sya, (_ _I will die from yearning,)_

 _byesutyeshno zhdat', (_ _Inconsolably waiting,)_

 _stanu tselý dyen' molit'sya, (_ _I'll pray the whole day long,)_

And then she learned that during his hero internship he and his two friends encountered Hero Killer Stain and got out from it only with help of Endeavour.

 _po notsham gadat'. (_ _And at night I'll wonder,)_

 _Stanu dumat', shto skutshayesh (_ _I'll think that you're in trouble)_

 _tý f tshuzhom krayu. (_ _Far away in a strange land.)_

There was also that time in the mall when Izuku was taken hostage by one of the members of League of Villains. He left the encounter relatively unscattered but this villain could kill him in mere seconds. That was the moment when Inko's fear for her son reached its peak. The fact that one of the villains was so close to her baby and her boy couldn't do anything to defend himself, made her utterly terrified for Izuku's life. She could practically imagine receiving news about his death one horrible day.

 _Spi-zh, paka zabot nye znayesh, (_ _Sleep now, as long as you know no sorrows,)_

 _bayushki bayu._ _(_ _Bayushki bayu.)_

Once the attack on training camp happened and once she learned that not only her son was heavily injured but also one of the students got kidnapped, Inko started to wonder – _really_ started to wonder – if UA faculty are able to keep her baby boy safe and sound. This camp was supposed to be in location only few knew about, and yet villains attacked it. Children were put in danger once again and Inko honestly found it hard to believe that UA teachers were doing everything they could.

And so Inko started to contemplate whenever she should keep Izuku in the school or find him another, safer one. The one that won't be targeted by villains trying to get All Might. The one that could protect its students better. The one that won't cost her tears and nerves.

When UA teachers were apologizing for their negligence, Inko felt a bit more sympathy for them. At least they had enough dignity to admit their wrongs; at least they were admitting they've made mistakes and they promised to do better… But that didn't mean she should let them take care of her son. She couldn't, just like that, trust them once again after everything that happened. They needed to convince her by actions.

But she didn't have much time to contemplate it because soon all the stations in TV were showing the fight between All Might and this horrible, _horrible_ villain that was holding Katsuki Bakugou captive. Just like millions of citizens, Inko Midoriya was watching this fight with tension, but hopeful that Symbol of Peace will emerge victorious as he always did. But each and one of the villain's attack was leaving an immense effect on All Might.

There was a moment when Inko saw Izuku and four of his classmates showing up on the scene to get Katsuki away from the fight. It was pretty reckless but at least they weren't joining the battle. So that was a plus… Izuku and his friends were out almost as soon as they showed up on the scene.

However, as Inko was observing All Might getting more and more battered up; as he was bleeding in face of evil, barely standing on his two legs, she couldn't stop thinking that this was a path her boy chose; this was Izuku's destiny: neverending battle that could result in broken body and even death from hand's of someone with no conscience. Truly, there was no more noble death than in defense of others… and her Izuku always wanted to help others. He was a noble man like that… But Inko didn't want for him to die a noble death. She wanted him to live a long and happy life…

 _Dam tebe ya na dorogu (_ _I will give you on your way)_

 _Obrazok svyatoy: (_ _A small holy icon,)_

 _Ty ego, molyasya Bogu, (_ _And when you pray to God, you'll)_

 _Stav' pered soboy; (_ _Put it right in front of you)_

In many ways what they did to her wasn't fair. She really wanted to put her foot down. She really wanted to be unmoved. And for the most part All Might wasn't arguing with her. He was taking each accusation in silence, with expression of shame on his face. He understood perfectly why she was angry; he understood mother's heart and had no excuses, no justifications for UA's negligence.

He knew that Inko had every right to take her only son from UA.

But Izuku was fighting. He was defending his teachers, blaming his own recklessness for his injuries. Inko was standing firmly behind her decision. There was a moment when he just ran away to his room, leaving the two of them alone for a while…But suddenly he came back and surprised them both.

"It's alright." He said. "It's alright if it's not UA."

He showed them the letter – as he explained, it was written by a boy Izuku saved during the attack on camp.

"And I know it's wrong, I know it's terrible to keep you so worried… Even so… If only for a moment… this letter, this kid made me his hero. And that made me happy."

Inko didn't need to be told… she could put two and two together. Her Izuku almost became cripple because he was protecting that child. Not only he did a brave, noble thing… but he also made her proud. It was hard to be mad at him when she was also proud. And it was hard to contain all the contradictory feelings that filled her heart. It was, after all, a bittersweet pride.

And then All Might became big again and bowed in front of her. Forehead touching the ground, he started to apologize. And then…

"I believe that young Izuku is worthy to succeed me… or, in other words, to become the Symbol of Peace."

It really wasn't fair.

"As the former Symbol of Peace, I have to apologize. I apologize profoundly for taking advantage of his admiration and allowing myself to neglect his education."

Once he turned back to his scrawny self, bowing in front of her like before a cruel queen, Inko found her own will weaken with every word.

"And as a teacher of UA, I'm pleading you. You're absolutely correct that my path was drenched in blood! But that's the very reason I won't allow him to walk that same path. Instead, we would be standing side by side, walking that path together."

In that very moment a memory flashed before her eyes: a crying little boy looking at the footage of his biggest hero… trying to find a reason to live when reality carried out a devastating attack on his dream. This footage and that dream were what held Izuku together all those years of suffering. It was thanks to this video that he was the way he was – her sweet, considerate boy who wanted to do good.

"Could you please let me pour my all into young Izuku?"

How could she ever say no to that?

"I will protect and raise him even if it costs me my life."

And how could she demand such sacrifice from Symbol of Peace? Especially when he wanted so desperately to help her son?

"I'm sorry… I can't allow that."

She wasn't cruel. She was just a mother.

"After all, you're the light of Izuku's life. I don't hate UA… I just want Izuku to be happy… that's all. So don't give up on your life. Please, keep on living so you can protect and raise him. If you can promise me that, then I will back down."

There was no need for dying in a noble cause. There was no need for blood. Sometimes the most brave thing one could do, was living. And when Inko looked into All Might's hollow eyes, she knew that he understood that. And so he bowed again and said:

"I promise."

She will probably never get used to this feeling – this weird mixture of sorrow and pride. But at some point every mother has to release her baby into cruel world.

 _Da, gotovyas' v boy opasnyy, (_ _When preparing yourself for the dangerous fight_ _)_

 _Pomni mat' svoyu..._ _(Please remember your mother.)_

 _Spi, mladenets moy prekrasnyy, (_ _Sleep, good boy, my beautiful,)_

 _Bayushki-bayu (_ _Bayushki bayu._ _)_


End file.
